Pumping apparatus



Jan. 31, 1928.

1,657,593 J. c. SHAFFER ET An.

PUMPING APPARATUS atto@ nui Patented Jan. 3l, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

JOHN C. SHAFFER AND LYNN S. MANKIN, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNORS T TULSA VALVE COMPANY, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION.'

PUMPING' APPARATUS.

Application filed August 17, 1926, Serial No. 129,814. Renewed February 5, 1927.

Uur invention relatesI to improvements in pumping apparatus, adapted for pumping oil, water or the like.

As is well known, in the ordinary deep oil well, a standing valve is located near the bottom of the working barrel and a traveling valve reciprocates within the working barrel above the standing valve. The standing valve and the traveling valve both ordinarily embody a check ball valve element which is seated by gravity. lt has been found that these check valves, frequently fail to properly open or close, due to the inluence of magnetism and also due to the.

influence of gas pressure. The failure of these valve elements to properly function materially reduces the eiiciency in operation of the pumping apparatus.

ln accordance with our invention, We provide a standing valve near the bottom of the working barrel and we also provide a travcling valve operating within the working barrel above the standing valve. Means are provided whereby the valve elements of both the standing valve and the traveling valve are positively opened and closed, in proper order, thereby assuring the maximum elliciency in the operation of the pumping apparatus.

A further advantage in connection with the improvements is that the standing valve may be drawn by drawing the traveling valve and line of rods, without drawing the tubing. This effects a considerable saving in time and labor. Further, when the line of rods is pulled, the standing valve is also pulled. lf you also have to pull the tubing, the standing valve being first pulled, the iduid which would ordinarily be held bythe standing valve in the tubing, goes back into the well, and consequently the oil is not lost and further the inconvenience of the oil or uid spraying on the operator while unscrewing a joint of the tubing, is also elimihated. lN ith the elimination of the old type ball valve element, the hazard of foreign material, such as rope, waste or the like, getting under the valve element and holding it open, is also eliminated. With the ordinary standing valve, floating sand fre-` quently settles around the same, causing the standing valve to become inoperative, with the result that the tubing must be withdrawn. With the improved standing valve come unseated, thus allowing the sand to i settle back into the hole subsequently to which the standing valve is reseated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying our invention, the working barrel being shown in longitudinal section,

Figure 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the traveling valve and associated elements.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2,

. Figure f1 is a similar view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 2, l

Figure 5 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the standing valve and associated elements,

F igure is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5, and,

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodi-v ment of our invention, ,the numeral 10 designates a working barrel, connected in the tubing, as is well known. Attached to the lower end of the working barrel is a tubular shoe 11, which may have connection with the usual strainer, not shown. The shoe 11 has a tapered seat 12.

The numeral 13 designates a standing valve as a whole embodying a tubular body 111, Figure 5, the lower end. of which is screw-threaded for receiving a tubular eX- tension 15. This tubular extension has a reduced portion 16, providing a tapered portion 17, to seat upon the tapered seat 12 of the Shoe 11. The tubular body 1s provided with cups or packing rings 18, preferably formed of leather, and these cups are held between a flange 19, and the upper end of the tubular extension 15, as shown. The purpose of these cups is to prevent the passage of oil or fluid downwardly past the eX- terior of the tubular body 14. The upper los end of the tubular body is preferably screwshift the valve 36, through the medium of u threaded, for engagement with a ca e 20, within which is mounted a positive y actuated downwardly seating valve 21, adapt ed to engage upon a seat 22, formed upon the top of the tubular 'body 14, as shown. The valve 21 has'connection with a valve rod 23, passing through an opening in the top of the cage 20 and this valve rod is ac'- tuated by means to be described.

The numeral 24 designates a traveling valve or plunger, as a whole, see Figures 1 and 2. This traveling valve embodies a tubular body 25, the lower end of which is screw-threaded for engagement with the tubular coupling 26, having a reduced screwthreaded lower end engaging within the u per end of a friction actuating tube 27. T is tube 27 is provided at its lower end with an open ca e 28, having screw-threaded engagement t erewith, Figure 5, and the valve actuating rod 23 extends through an opening in the bottom of this cage. The tubular body 25 is equipped with a plurality of cups or packing rings 29, which may be formed of leather or the like, and may be of any well known or preferred type. These cups are held between a flange 30 and the top of the coupling 26. The function of these cups is to provide a proper sliding tit between the tubular valve body 25 and the working barrel, whereby the usual pumping action will occur. At its top, the tubular valve body 25 is reduced and screw-threaded, for engagement with the lower end of an open cage 31, embodying a head 32. This head is provided with a screw-threaded opening for receiving a tubular rod 33, screwthreaded at its upper end, for engagement with a coupling 34, carried by t-he usual rod 35 included in the line of rods and employed to reciprocate the traveling valve. The tubular rod 33 has openings 36, near its top for the escape of oil into the working barrel, as shown. l

Arranged within the cage 31 is a positively actuated downwardly seated valve 37 arranged to engage a seat 38, formed on the top of the tu u ar bod v 34. The valve 37 is connected with a va ve actuating rod 39 extending up into the tubular rod 33, and car ing a cross pin 40.

is cross pin operates within elongated slots 41 formed in the tubular rod 33, and this pin is carried by a shiftingsleeve 42, slidably mounted upon the tubular rod 33. This shifting sleeve carries cups or packing rings 43, formed of leather or the like. These cups may be of any wellknown or referred ty e and are confined between the p ange 44 an a rin 45, screw-threaded upon the to of the shiftmg sleeve 42. These cups have ictional engagement with the interior of the working barrel, and thereby serve to' the rod 39 and associated elements.

Attention being now called to Figures 5 and 6 it will be seen that the valve actuating rod 23 is secured to a head 46, which is preferably square in cross section. This head is provided upon opposite faces with trunnions 47, projecting into recesses 43, formed upon the inner sides of friction elements or blocks 49, having outer curved faces, to engage the interior of the friction actuating tubing 27 Upon opposite sides of the ti'unnions 47 thc head 46 is provided with transverse openings 50, receiving` comprcssiblc coil springs 51 which have their ends seated within 1'c cesses 52 formed in the friction blocks or elements 49. The friction elements or blocks provide suitable passages 53 upon the sides thereof, for thc travel of the o il through the tube 27. Y

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The standing valve 13 remains bodily sta tionary, during the normal stroke of the travellng valve 24. That is, the tubular body 14 remains stationary and seated. Upon the downward movement of the traveling valve 24, the friction blocks 49 engaging the inner wall of the tubingr 27 tend to travel therewith, and hence the valve 21 is seated upon the downward travel of the tubing 27. After this valve 'is seated, the continued travel of the tubing 27 causes the same to slide upon the frictionblocks 49. Hence the valve 21 of the standing valve is immediately closed upon the downward movement of the traveling valve. When the traveling valve 24 moves downwardly, the shifting sleeve 42 tends` to remain stationary with respect to the working barrel 10, due to the frictional engagement of the cups 43 therewith.` Hence the tubular valve body 25 is moved downwardly from the then stationary valve 37, which is unseated and the oil is free to pass the valve 37. The continued downward movement of the, tubular valve body 25, carries the valve element 37 with it, in the unseated position, as is obvious. It is obvious that when the traveling valve is raised, that the reverse of this operation occurs, and the valve element 37 seated.

If it should be desired to raise the standing valve the line of rods is pulled and the standing valve will be withdrawn with the tubing 27, asis obvious. .It is thus seen that the standing valve may be removed without the necessity of pulling the tubing. Further, if the tubing is to be pulled, the traveling valve and standing valve are first ulled, and when the tubing is subsequently ulled, the oil contained therein will flow ack into the well and will not be wasted, or sprayed upon the operator, in unscrewing the section.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the sc pe of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim l. In pumping apparatus, a' working barrel, a standing valve arranged near the lower end of the working barrel and embodying a movable valve element, a member adapted to mechanicall seat the valve element of the standing va ve, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel and embodying a movable valve element, a friction tube secured to the traveling valve, friction means within t-he friction tube and connected with said member, and friction means engaging within the working barrel and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the traveling valve.

2. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve arranged near the lower end of the working barrel and embodying a movable valve element, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel and embodying a movable valve element, friction means engaging within the working barrel and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the traveling valve, and an operating device connected with the travi eling valve to move therewith and embodying relatively movable frictionally engaging parts, one part being adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

3. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with the working barrel, a traveling valve within the working barrel including a tubular valve body and a movable valve element, a tubular rod connected with the tubular valve bodv and having a longitudinal slot, a sleeve sli able upon the tubular rod and frictionally engaging within the working barrel, arod arranged to mechanically seat the valve element of the traveling valve, and a pin carried by the rod and operating within the longitudinal slot and secured to the sleeve.

Il. In pumping apparatus, as a subcombination, a traveling valve embodying a tubular body and a movable valve element and adapted to operate within a working barrel, a tubular rod connected with the tubular valve body and having a longitudinal slot, a member having frictional engagement within the working barrel and slidably engaging the tubular rod, an element arranged to mechanically seat the valve element of the traveling valve. and a connecting element between the last named element and the friction member and passing through the longitudinal slot.

5. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with the Working barrel and embodying a tubular body and a movable valve element, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel, a friction tube connected with the.

traveling valve to move therewith, said friction tube having packing means associated therewith, a friction plunger operating within the friction tube, and a rod connected with the friction plunger and adapted to'xnechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

6. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with .the working barrel and embodying a tubular valve body and a valve element,.a' traveling valvewithin the working barrel including a tubular body and valve element, 'a member connected with the tubular body of the traveling valve to reciprocate the same. friction means engaging within the Working barrel and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the traveling valve` a friction tube attached to the tubular valve body of the traveling valve to move therewith. a friction plunger within the friction tube, and a rod connected with the friction plunger and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

7. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve. associated with the working barrel and embodying a tubular body and valve element, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel, means to reciprocate the traveling valve, a friction tube attached to the traveling valve for movement therewith, a friction plunger within the friction tube and providing therewith a passage for fluid through the friction tube, and an element connected with the plunger and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

8. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with the working barrel and embodying a tubular body and a valve element, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel, means to reciprocate the travelin valve.` a friction tube attached to the traveling valve to move therewith, a resilient plunger having frietional engagement within the friction tube and forming with the tube a passage for the travel of fluid through the tube, and a rod connected with the plunger and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

9. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with the working barrel and embodying a tubular body and valve element, a traveling valve operating within the working barrel. means to reciprocate the traveling valve. a friction tube attached to the traveling valve to move therewith, a head arranged within the friction tube, shoes carried by the head and engaging Within the friction tube, resilient means to move the shoes outwardly, said head having its faces between the shoes spaced from the Wall of the friction tube for providing passages, and a rod connected with the head and adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

10. In pumping apparatus, a working barrel, a standing valve associated with the working barrel and embodying a tubular body and valve element, a traveling valve within the working barrel, a friction tube attached to the traveling valve, a friction plunoer within the friction tube and forming iherewith a passage for the travel of the fluid through the friction tube, and a rod connected with the friction plunger and having a limited sliding connection with the tubular body of the standing valve, said rod also being adapted to mechanically seat the valve element of the standing valve.

`In testimony whereof We ax our signatures.

JOHN C. SHAFFER. LYNN S. MANKIN. 

